Steam compress heater



Sept. 27, 1.932. c. D. THRELKELD 1,879,831

STEAM COMPRESS HEATER Filed Jan. 4, 1932 3 Sheetse-Shqet 1 Fig.1

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OlarencellTh-relkeld.

ATT

Sept. 27, 1932. c. D. THRELKELD 1,879,831

STEAM COMPRESS HEATER Filed Jan. 4, 1932 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ass Fig.1?

INVENTOR, rellxsld 3% mg Fig.10 9m.

Sept. 27; 1932 Q Q THRELKELD 1,879,831

STEAM COMRRESS HEATER Filed Jan. 4. 1952 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR,Clarence Dfl'hre] 7191 6.

BY Qcw/zb Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNETEDHSTATEJS PA'TENT oF ic CLARENCEn. T RELKELD, OF "BE'LLINGHAM, WASHINGTON STEAM COMPRESS HEATERApplication filed. January 4, 1932. Seria1 No. 584,749,

" rovide mechanism within said chamber whereby said compresses may betaken into the chamber one at a time and, after a period of time withinthe chamber, be ejected one at a time therefrom. v V

Another object of my improvement is to adapt said mechanism both forcontinuous automatic action during periods of controllable length andalso for controllable single operations.

Other objects ofmy improvement will appear as the description proceeds.

I attain these and other objects of my. improvement with the mechanismillustrated in the three sheetsof accompanying drawings :7: '25" inwhich Figure 1 isa plan view of my heater, Fig. 2 is a plan sectionthereof on the bent bro-ken line 22 of Fig. 4,'Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the heater from which a side wall thereof has been brokenaway, Fig.4'is a front elevation of the heater from which a portion ofthe front walls have been broken away, Fig. 5 is a side elevation of acompress drawer, Fig. 6 is an end elevation of Fig. 5, 7 is a top planView of Fig. 5, Fig. 8 is a segregated end elevation of the Genevamovement, Fig. 9 is 'a plan view of a compress drawer carrier and link,Fig. 10 is a .side elevation of Fig. 9, Fig. 11 isan' end-elevation ofFig. 10, Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the slide crank pin drawn on alarger scale Fig. 13 is atop plan view'of Fig. 12, Fig. 14is a sideelevation of the door con necting rod and crank assembly segregated anddrawn on a larger scale, Fig. 15 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 14, andFig. 16 is an end elevation of- Fig. 14, and Fig. 17 is a frontelevation of the steam dome door.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout. Certain parts arebroken away to show other parts hidden thereby.

of steamnot shown-is connected into the top of sump'a83.

'nect withthe terminals of electricmotor 22 which is fastened beneathfloor Q17 in said chamber. There are electric service wires connected tostarter 6122' but. notshown. Motor shaft 23 has silent chain sprocket 24alined with sprocket wheel 24 over both of bearings 29 and 30 andsupports bearing 'NVith more particular reference to: tlie designatedparts: The walls of a lower chamber are shown at 17, and the table topthereof at v I 18. A second floor a17 in the lower chamber,

is used for a base to which are fastened bear- :5

ing'brackets of the mechanism. The walls 19 of a steam dome are joinedat the bottom to table top .18." Steampipe 2O fr'oni'a source soElectric-motor starting'and stopping push buttons 21 and ($21,respectively, preferably,

are placed on the front wall of the lower chamber beneath table top 18and they oper- 5 ate contact points on the adjacent ends of the electricwires of a cable extended through the interior of the lower chamber intoand out of starter a22 in said chamber and confastened thereon. I Driveshaft 27 is mounted in bearings 28, 7b

'29, 30 .and 31 on brackets a28, 32 and'33 "fastenedon the top of floor(L17. disposing said shaft parallel with motor shaft 23. On shaft 27 isfastened silent chain sprocket 26 which is placed silent chain 25engagedthere- "with. The constructionproviding for driv- 'ing shaft 27by motor 22.

Bracket 84 is integral with thetops of atfright. angles therewith and inwhich is mounted for revolution a short shaft a63 on the lower end ofwhich. islfastenedbevel gear 61 and on the upper end of which is fas-5': tened the sleeve of crank 63. Crank63 has a slideway 64 in itstopside at its free end having slotd63 inthe bottom thereof. Base '65 ismounted for reciprocation in slideway 64 and thereon is fastened wristpin 69. .7; Through a hole in base 65 is extended bolt 68which also'isextended through slot 0163 to fasten base 65 and crank arrnj63; inrelative sliding relation. Pin 66 is extended from one end of base 65 tobe extended through r a'ho-le in lug Z963 on arm 63 and on'pin 66 mg theejector arms may pass, as hereinafter to he explained.

In an opening in table top 18 is disposed channel bar 56 midway in frontof the steam dome with its inner end fastened to steam dome-floor 83 andits outer end fastened to the front wall of the lower chamber 17. Theinterior of the channel bar is of semicircular cross section and on itsexterior wall near each upper edge are two parallel guideway grooves 57,57. Door opening a19 in the front wall of the dome at the bottom thereofis semicircular and registers with the semicircular channel groove, thetwo providing a circular entrance into the steam dome. Dome door 58 hasan opening 0 .58 there-in through which channel bar 56 is extended tomount the door on the channel bar for re ciprocation with semicirculardoor member '058 fitted to the channel grooveand lugs 658 on the doorengaged in grooves 57 of the channel bar. The construction provides forthe reciprocation of the door on the channel bar between its full anddotted linepositions at 58 and 58, respectively, by the revolution ofshaft 27. And. the reaction of spring67, shown in Fig. 14, tendstoretain the door against the dome wall with resilient pressure.

Fastened to the end wallsof dome 19 are upright. frame members 42, 42which provide bearings for lower sprocket wheel shaft 41 near theirlower ends and vslideways for reciprocative bearing blocks 44 at theirupper ends. Coil springs 45 are disposed to react between the framemembers 42 and the bottoms of bearing blocks 44 to retain the bear-"ings in upper positions of reciprocation by resilient pressure. v

Lower sprocket wheels 46, 46 are fastened on lower shaft 41 forrevolution therewith.

. Upper sprocket wheels 47, 47 are fastened on shaft 43 for revolutiontherewith in chain relation with lower sprocket wheels 46. A chain isplaced over said two sets of sprocket wheels consisting of anumber oftray-carrier links 48. These tray-carrier linksconsist of asemicylindrical body having a pair of lugs 50, 50 projecting from eachside thereof with alinedholes near the ends thereof. I The lugs arerelatively disposed to cause the adjacent lugsv of adjacent links tobear, on each other flatwise when the links arein line laterally and thesaid adjacent-lugsare fastened towere gether loosely with rivetsproviding an endless chain of said tray carriers referred to above. Theteeth of sprockets 46 and 47 are shaped to engage this chain as clearlyshown in Fig. 4. On the interior wall of each of carrier links 48 nearthe edges thereof are slideway grooves 49 in elements of said cylinder.Lower sprocketshaft 41 at one end is extended through an opening in therear wall of the steam dome and has silent-chain sprocket wheel a41fastened thereon.

Counter shaft 36 is mounted for revolution inbearings-34 and 35 in thelower chamber and has one end extended through the rear wall of thechamber on which isffastened silent-chain sprocket wheel 39 alined withsprocket wheel e41. Shafts 27, 36, and 41 are parallel. An endlesssilent chain 40 is placed over sprocket wheels 39 and (141' engagedtherewith. The star wheel 38 of a Geneva movement is fastened oncountershaft 36 for revolution therewith within the lower chamber. Thelocking disc 37 is fastened on shaft 27 alined with the star 38 disposedin turn to contact with and pass the concave peripherial walls 538, 538,Z238, 538

of said star and retain the star at rest during the remaining portlon ofthe disc revolution. Geneva crank 81 1s fastened on shaft 27 and isdisposed to cause pin tooth 82 thereon to en gage in one. of the starslots a38 while thedisc engages in oneof the star arcs Z938, and arcuatenotch 037 in the disc provides space for the star while the same isbeing revolved by crank 81. The construction providesffor a quarter of aturn of the shaft 36 and a period of pause thereof during each completerevolution of shaft 27. Shaft 26 drives the chain 0f tray carrier and,by construction, said chain is movedthe space of one of said links 48during a quarter-revolution of'sha'ft 27"" and said chain remains atrest during the remaining three-quarters of said shaft revolution.

In the description given above of the recipposely omitted. 'Bevelg'ears60and 61, are,

by construction, of equal diameter. Each complete revolution of shaft 27causes one complete out and return movement of the door. However, thereis a period of pauseat each end of door'travel greater than the normalpause due to change in direction of move ment. This period is caused byslot (Z63 in rocative movement of door 58 certain details thereof, whichnow will be given, were purcrank63 which also'limits the length of saidpause. When the door is in its solid-line position and also when thesame is in its dotted-line position at 58 bolt 68 in said slot is spacedfrom the outer end of said slot and wrist pin 69 must be moved throughan arc, determined by the length'of said slot, before connecting rod 70can operate to move the door, and during this time the door remains atrest underresilient pressure of spring 67.

Each'of the traycarrying links 48'is pro-V vided with a compressdra-weror tray 51. Each of these trays consist of-a semi-cylinthe edges thereofand ends .52, 52 circular in shape. When the tray is in operativepositioninthe carrier ribs 53, 53 engage in:

continuous revolution of shaft 27 causes alternatingmovements andperiods of pause of tray carriers 48, with the periods of pause grooves49, 49 in the carrierfor reciprocation. The carrier and trayftogetherform a cylinder as clearly shown in Fig. 4. On the exterior in thebottom of the tray near the .front end'thereof is 'arcuate notch 55"concentric with the center of shaft .41 when its carrier is seated insprocket wheel 46., On the inside of door 58 is fastened hook 59disposed to engage notch 55 in each tray, when the door is closed andsaid tray enters its lowest position alined with door. opening e19. Insaid position the tray comes to rest and, by construction, at this time,the door moves forward under the action of connecting ,rod 70, andcarries said tray with it out into channel56 where it comes to rest at51, 52 during the period while the door remains in its position at 58because ofslot Z63 in crank 63, as above explained.

A pair of ejector arms a7 8, 017 8 unite in bearing lug b78'which ispivoted for oscillation on pin 76 in bearing bracket 77. Each of arms a78 terminates in an arcuate .forearm 78 concentric with pin 76. Crank isfastenedto lug 7278 and is disposed between said arms. Lever 72 isfulcrumed on pin 71 in bracket (Z28 and its upper end is pivoted to oneend of link 79 the other end of which is pivoted to the end of arm crank75. On lever 72 is mounted roller 73 for revolution adjacent shaft 27.On shaft 27 is fastened cam 7st disposed to bear on roller 73 duringeach forward revolution of shaft 27 forcing lever'72 to swing outward tooccupy its extreme position shown in dotted lines at 72 also forcingarms (Z78, 78 upward to a78, 78'. In both their solid and dotted-linepositions arms C678, 78 are at one side of their pivoted bearing 76 andtend to return by gravity from their said dotted-line to theirsolid-line position, thus lever 72 will follow cam 7 4 as it revolvesand return to its full-line position following a brief period of pausein its dotted-line position.

Channel bar 56 has two transverse openings c256, 6656 in the bottomthereof and tray 51 has two similar and equally spaced transverseopenings 54, 5a in its bottom and the said four openings register inpairs when the tray is in its most forward position at 51. Said pairs ofopenings and arcuate arms 78, 78 are relatively disposed so that thearms are extended through the openings when said arms are in their upperpositions at 78.

A partition 83 separates the steam dome from the lower chamber. This ispreferably a casting and is shaped to avoid the mechanism and provide asump at one side of the there, two arms structure; The sump isshown at.6283 and Y may be drained by pipe'84 which is provided.

- with a stop cock e84. drical body with ribs 53, 53 on-the exterior at:Inoperation: Assume that the motor 22,, under control of the pushbuttons 21 and a21, slowly drives the shaft 27 in a forward direction,when viewed as in vFig. 4. The

about three times the-length of the periods of movement and one periodof pauseand one period, ofv movementduring each complete revolution ofthe shaft 27,. Each move- 'ment of door 58 also depends on therevolution of shaft 27; there being a: complete reciprocation, that isone complete out movement, a period of pause, one complete in movementand a period of pause of said door during each revolution of the shaft.door movements are timed relative to the said carrier movementstodispose the door in its closed position, illustrated .in solid lines,at, all times except during the central portion of the period of pauseof each of The behind door; opening a19. When the door is moved from itsclosed position the tray is takenthereby to be returned when the door isreturned, and when the tray carrier is moved following the. completionof its period of pause, notch 55 moves onout of engagement' with hook 59to be followed by'a similar notch in the next tray which-[engages withthe hook and then this tray is moved out into channelbar 56,'remains outa brief period and: returns within its ,carrierf while the latter pausesin its lowest position. :Preferably the inner end of each tray is neverentirely withdrawn from its carrier.

.Arms (Z78, 78 move upand-down' once durmg each revolution of shaft 27being Carried upward by said revolution and returning by gravity. Theupward movements ofi the arms are timed to occur while a' tray 51 isoutside in channel bar 56 so that said arms may pass through the twopairs of openings c456 and 54in said channel bar and tray and throughexpanded rod 7 Orduring the period of pause of the tray in the channelbar.

Fromwhich it follows thatby pressing button 21a tray is projected fromthebottom of the steam dome on to the table and, while through itsbottom only to disappear. down ward through the same when the trayreturns into the dome and the opening through which it passed is closed.These related operations are extended upward is pressed when they cease.v v

Assume that steam enters the steam dome through pipe 20, and thata wetcompress A occupies each ofthe combined tray and carriers.Theseconipresses are maintained hot and sterile. A nurse comes to theheater with -a cold compressdesiring to exchange it"for a-hot one. Thebutton 21 is pressed and a tray Containing a hot compress is projectedon the table and the compress therein is ej ected as at A to fall onthetable; The nurse places the cold compress in the emptied tray andtakes the hot one.

The tray with the cold compress disappears "into the steam dome.Ifanother hot compress is required at once,'1t soon appears and s eected as was In this manner hot compresses are available at any tune inquick succession.

When desired, steam connections are not "made through pipe 20 and therequired steam is generated by an electric heating element placed withwater in sump (183;

by Letters Patent is Having thus disclosed my invention, what I claim asnew therein and desire to secure 1; In apparatus of the kind described,a I steam dome, an endless conveyor of compress-tray carriers mountedforoperation in ata"tiine from said steam dome and to withdraw said trayinto said dome during a said --per1od of pause, and automatic means toeject I any'compress being in said tray while pro- 'jected from saidsteam dome.

4. In apparatus of the kind described, a steam dome, a lower chamberdisposed beneath said dome, a partition separating said dome from saidlower chamber, an endless conveyor of compress-tray carriers mounted foroperation in said steam dome, a compress -tray engageable in each ofsaid tray carriers, controllable power means disposed in said lowerchamber for operating said conveyor in recurrentperiods of movement andpause, and automatic power means disposed in said lower chamber toproject one of said trays at a time from said steam dome and to withdrawsaid tray into said dome during a said period of pause in the movementof said tray conveyor. I

' 5. In apparatus of the kind described, a steam dome, a lowercchamberdisposedbe- 'neath said dome, a partition separating said steam domefrom said lower chamber, a sump in said partition, an endless conveyorof compress carriers mounted for operation on sprockets in saidsteam(101119,POWGI' mechanism mounted in said lower chamber for operatingsaid conveyor, and manual control means for said power mechanism.

CLARENCE D. THRELKELD.

said steamdome, power means for operating said conveyor in recurrentperiods of movement and pause, a compress tray engageable from saidsteam dome and to withdraw said tray into said dome durmg a said periodof pause in'said conveyor operatlon.

in each of said tray carriers, and automatic means to pro ect one ofsaid trays at a time 2. In apparatus of the kind described, a A

steam dome having an opening therein, a door to close said dome opening,an endless conveyorof compress-tray carriers mounted for operation insaid dome, power means for operating said conveyor in recurrent perlodsof movement and pause, a compress tray engageable in each of said traycarriers, and automatic means being operable to open said door toproject one of said trays at a time through said door opening outside ofsaid dome to withdraw said tray into said dome and close said doorduring a said period of pause in'said conveyor operation.- I

3.In apparatus of the kind described, a steam dome, an endless conveyorof compress-tray carriers mounted for operation in said dome, powermeans for operating said conveyor in'recurrent periods of movement andpause, a compress tray engageable in each of said tray carriers,automatic means being" operable to project one of said trays

